Digital Collections Curator, CAEA
The University of Chicago

Department

HUM Staff: Art History - Center for the Art of East Asia

About the Department

Established in 2003 by the Department of Art History and the Division of the Humanities, the University of Chicago Center for the Art of East Asia (CAEA) has become an internationally renowned academic center dedicated to the study of East Asian art and visual culture. The CAEA aims to facilitate and support teaching and research in the rapidly growing field of East Asian art at the University of Chicago. The concentration of interest in Asian art and visual and material culture is redefining the parameters of East Asian art history. In response to these developments, the CAEA has adopted a global outlook and encourages new perspectives and approaches, including initiating projects of digital humanities and organizing international symposiums and collaborative research projects with universities, museums, and experts around the world. It develops and coordinates programs in East Asian art and visual and material culture, supporting student scholarship, creating opportunities for scholarly and exchange, and compiling data for teaching and research.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Associate Director of the Center for the Art of East Asia (CAEA) and in partnership with the CAEA Director, and Art History Faculty Chair, the CAEA Digital Collections Curator is responsible for managing, preserving, and promoting CAEA digital collections, including digitized materials, documents, photographs, etc. This role combines traditional curation expertise with modern digital technologies to ensure that collections are accessible, discoverable, and well-maintained for future use. The Curator will work closely with other departments, such as IT, University library services, and the Visual Resource Center (VRC), to enhance the visibility and usability of digital assets.

Hybrid work schedule available.

Applicants, when uploading your resume, please include all required application documents listed in the job posting to be considered.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the acquisition, cataloging, and organization of CAEA digital collections.
• Develops and implements digital preservation strategies to ensure the long-term accessibility of CAEA digital assets.
• Creates and maintains metadata standards and workflows that support discoverability and access.
• Manages digital storage solutions, ensuring collections are accessible through the open-access platform and securely stored and backed up.
• Selects and curates digital content that aligns with CAEA's mission and objectives.
• Work with content creators, university libraries, researchers, and academics to identify and prioritize materials for digitization.
• Collaborates with CAEA Associate Director, CAEA Content, Media, and Technology Developer, IT, library staff, museums, etc. to develop and maintain digital collections.
• Works with DCADP collaborators, including our project partners in China, museums, and other related institutions, to acquire and transfer digital content.
• Partners with educators, researchers, and community organizations to promote CAEA digital collections in academic and public setting.
• Ensures that all CAEA digital collections adhere to copyright laws, privacy regulations, legal agreements, and institutional policies.
• Conducts regular audits of CAEA digital collections to ensure accuracy, consistency, and completeness.
• Stays informed about best practices, trends, and emerging technologies in digital curation and preservation.
• Conducts research to identify new tools, platforms, and methodologies for CAEA digital curation.
• Participates in professional organizations, conferences, and continuing education opportunities to stay current in the field.
• Contributes to grant writing and fundraising efforts to support CAEA digital collection initiatives.
• Assists in setting policies for collections. Participates in designing and implementing workflows for acquiring materials for collections.
• Identifies and documents preservation needs and, with moderate guidance from others, ensures the preservation of library pieces, electronically and digitally.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
---
Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in library science, information science, Digital Humanities, or a related field.

Experience:

• At least 3-5 years of experience in digital curation, digital archives, or a related field.
• Exposure to museum, library, or higher education settings.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Skilled in digital asset management systems and metadata standards.
• Familiarity with digitization processes, digital preservation tools, and content management systems (CMS).
• Familiarity with programming languages.
• Strong technical skills, including knowledge of digital formats, data management, and software tools relevant to digital curation.

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent organizational and project management abilities.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information clearly.
• Work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, matrixed, and decentralized environment.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid work schedule.
• May involve lifting and moving digital equipment or physical archives.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, including your interest in this position (required)
• Three References Contact Information (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Library

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

Pay Frequency

Biweekly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at:http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

---